


Accidents Happen

by carolej126



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 10:24:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4742774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally published in Magnificent Kids 17 (Neon Rainbow Press, 2015)</p>
<p>Vin has a hard time believing that everything really is "just fine."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidents Happen

It wasn’t his fault. It really, really, really wasn’t.

And nobody seemed to know that.

Vin heaved a sigh.

JD had been crying too much to say anything. And Buck had just frowned at him before quickly carrying JD into the house. 

He didn’t follow them. That frown said stay away, he was sure of it.

So, he had stayed outside, by himself. And waited.

If Chris had been there, he would have known it wasn’t Vin’s fault. He would have understood without Vin even saying anything. 

But Chris was still at work, and he might not be home for a long time.

He couldn’t hear JD crying any more. That was good. Or at least he thought it was. And he didn’t think JD had been hurt too bad, despite all the blood that he’d seen. Maybe JD was okay now.

But… If he was okay, where was he?

“Hey, Junior.”

Vin swallowed hard before daring to look up at Buck. He expected another frown, maybe even a sadly voiced, “I’m very disappointed in you.”

But what he got was an understanding smile, and a long, tight, calming hug that felt so good.

“JD told me what happened, that he was trying to follow you on his bike and tipped over.”

“I didn’t mean for JD to get hurt,” Vin whispered into Buck’s shoulder. The arms around him tightened.

“I know.” Buck laughed softly. “Sometimes JD forgets that he isn’t as big as you.”

“Next time, I’ll ride slower, so’s he…” Vin trailed off, surprised when Buck shook his head.

“Nope, you don’t need to do that. And JD wouldn’t want you to.”

“But-“

“It was an accident,” Buck cut in, giving Vin a gentle pat on the back before releasing him. “It wasn’t the first one, and it won’t be the last. If you two are anything like I was when I was a kid, you’re gonna spend most of your childhood with skinned knees.” He paused before adding with a chuckle, “and elbows and chins and...”

“Is JD okay?” Vin asked hesitantly.

Buck nodded. “He’s just fine.”

Vin exhaled in relief. It was funny, he thought to himself. When Chris, or Buck, or even one of their uncles said he was “just fine,” he usually wasn’t. 

But when Buck said that JD was just fine, he really was.

He didn’t understand it, but it was true.

“Vin! Vin, look!” JD burst through the open doorway, shouting excitedly, and wearing a different pair of pants. “I gots Buzz Lightyear bandaids on my elbows,” he pushed up his sleeves to show the older boy, “and lots more on my knees!”

“Wow,” Vin said, suitably impressed. That was a lot of bandaids!

“And Buck said we can go ridin’ again, if I’s more careful.”

Vin turned to look at Buck, suddenly unsure. He was pretty sure Buck knew it hadn’t been his fault, but… 

Buck grinned, his eyes twinkling. “You’ve only got a few more minutes before Chris gets home, so…”

“Let’s ride!” JD yelled.

“I was going to say, make sure you move off the driveway and get off your bikes when Chris pulls in,” Buck corrected with a laugh.

“We will,” Vin promised. 

“And boys, no more scraped knees. At least for today.”

JD nodded. “Okay, Da.” He jumped off the top step, ignoring Buck’s long-suffering sigh, and headed for his bike. “Come on, Vin!”

“You okay, Vin?” Buck asked.

Vin nodded. It was true. His little brother was okay, nobody blamed him for JD’s accident, and his dad was going to be home soon. He was … great! 

 

~end~


End file.
